Arrow fletching device



A ril 17, 1956 c. M. QUIST 2,742,064

RROW FLETCHING DEVICE Filed July 12, 1954 INVENTOR. Clifford M. Quist HTTORNEYS A ROWFLETCHING EV CE T iClilford M. :Quist, Puyallup, Wash.

, Appli ation July 12, 1'954,,Serial No. 442,598 Y Y s Claims. c1.-144--2s9 This invention relates ,to arrow fietchers, and it has reference more .particularly to adevice comprising means for holding the ,shaft of an .arrow in position for the receiving of the .feathers and another means for the applying of a properly prepared .feather to the shaft, 13 .4 for then holding it firmly fthereagainst while the feather. attaching glue is, setting.

It ,is the ,principal object of the present invention to provide a ,fletching device of r the ,character, above stated .jthat makes it possible for an inexperienced person .to easily, ,lquickly 1andaccurately apply the feathers to ,an arrow, at even, angularly, spaced ,intervals .thereabout, ,anjdat a desiredtdegree of vangulation .relative to the axis of the shaft. i

Itis alsoan objectofmy invention to provide a device of the characterabovestated.thatisrelatively ,simple in 'itsflconstruction; that is inexpensive and which willfully meet .all {the arrow fletching requirements ,of the .amateur or professionalarcher.

Still ,further objects of the ,present invention ,reside .in

"the detailsof construction of the various parts ;of the device, in their combination and in the mode .of use of the device, as will hereinafter be fully described.

.In' accomplishing these above mentioned and otherobjects'of the invention, ;.I have provided the improved details .of construction, the preferred forms of which are 'illustratedin the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 11 is a per spective view of an varrowtletciher embodying the improvementsof the presentinventiontherein, and showing the shaft of anarrow as held in the device for the application of a feather thereto.

Fig. 2. is.,a ,top-view,of the same=with.the.parts in the same relationship as s'een'in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is air-end view of the device, as seen from the ig h ndsu of Fi -.2- I

-Fig. ;'4 isfa, sectional detail of the gfeather holding ,clamp, andillus trating its swinging movement.

Fig. 5 ,is. ,an enlarged CLQSS SQCllOIl of a prepared forapplication to an arrow.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In the present preferred form of construction, the arrow fietching device of this invention comprises a rectangular base block 10, formed across its top surface and near its opposite ends, with transversely directed channels 11 and 11 within which the lower end portions of paired vertical standards or supports 12 and 12' for holding an arrow are adjustably fitted. These standards comprise fiat, vertical members of substantially the same dimensions, that are formed in their upper end portions, respectively, with upwardly opening notches 13 and 13 within which the end portion of the shaft of an arrow can be laid and properly held for the gluing of feathers thereto. In these various views, the shaft, or what will hereinafter be referred to as the arrow, is designated by reference numeral 14, and it is shown to be straight and of uniform diameter, and notched at one end, as at 15, to receive a bow string.

The notches 13 and 13 as formed in the upper ends feather as 2,742,064 Ratented Apr. 17, 1956 of the standards or supports .12 and 12' are V-shaped-to seat .theshaftof :the ,arrow fi nnly therein. Adjustably fixed to thestandard 12 .across its outer faceand spaced slightly below the vertex of the notch 13' therein is .a horizontal .block ;16. This is secured by ,a screw 17 that extends through a vertical slot 18 in theblockand is threaded into the support 13'.

Rigidlyrnounted in the base block 10 adjacent that longitudinal edge which is opposite that edge adjacent which the standards 12 and 12' are supported, are two vertical standards 20 and ,20', of equal height and each .forrnedin its. upper end with a square cut ,notch 21. .Pivotally supported by thesestandards 20 and 20' is a feather holding clampcomprising a pair of flat coacting clamp strips designated respectively by numerals 22 and ,23. .These strips are coextensive and are placed face to face in registration, and they are functionally joined by a spring hinge clamp 25 which operates to ,yieldably urge them together. The strip ,23 has a pairof supporting arms 26 fixedsthere to, near its opposite ends, and .these arms. are mounted at their outer ends on a horizontal shaft 27 that is seated pivotally in the notches 21 of the standards .20 and20. The arms ,26 and 26 are of such length and the parts with which they are associated as previously described, ,are .in such operative relationship that the two opposedly related members 22 and 23 of the featherholding,clamp can be swung upwardly from and downwardly against that longitudinal portionof an arrow lthat'is supported by the supports 12 and 12 in the notches13 anddl3 .Each arm 26 .comprises two parts, designated as 26a and 26b respectively. These have end portions overlapped and pivotedby pivot screws 28 and are held in adjustment by screws 28x.

The spring clamp member 25 is equipped at opposite sides with upwardly directed lever portions 29 and .29 which: may be grasped between fingers and thumb and pressed-together to open ,the strips 22 and 23 apart-to receive a prepared feather between them. When these levers are released, the clamp presses the strips 2 2 ,23 together to'hold thefeather for application to an arrow.

It will be explained that a feather as prepared :for application toan arrow comprises, as illustrated in Fig. 5, a vane or web ,portion W and alongitudinal portion of the. quill Q to which the web is attached.

. To preparethis feather for attachment, the undersurface .of the quill Q is coated with a quick setting adhesive designated aha.

Assumingthe device to ,be so constructed -it is used for ,arrow fletching in'the following manner: First, -.the notched end of thearrowl4 is fitted with an indexing member designatedatSO. This comprises a flat block of ru'bberhere shown to beinthe formv of an equilateral triangle audit is formed centrally with ahole for reeeiving ,the arrows tightly therein. After the ,device 30 hasbeen fitted to the arrow, as shown in Fig. 2, the latter is disposed in the notches 1313 of supports 12 and 12' and a fiat surface of indexing block 30 is rested upon the top surface of block 16. The arrow is thus held in proper position for reception of a feather.

Then, the feather holding clamp is lifted out of its supports, if desired, the clamping strips 22-23 are opened apart by squeezing the levers 2929 together, and a prepared feather is placed in position between them as shown in Fig. 4. Then, the spring clamp 25 is released and the feather will be gripped between the strips 2223 with the quill portion thereof parallel to and closely adjacent the lower longitudinal edges of the holding strips. Then the supporting shaft 27 of this clamp is seated in the notches 21 of the upper ends of the supports 29 and 20 and the clamp is swung downwardly to cause the glue covered under surface of the quill portion of the held feather to be brought into engagement with the top. surface of the arrow as has been shown in Fig. 4. The weight of the clamp is sufficient to hold the feather in place. It is allowed to remain at rest until the glue has set sufficiently to permit release of the clamp without detriment.

It is to be explained that the relationship of the axis of shaft 27, about which the clamp swings to the'arrow,

is such that when the strips 22-23 are swung upwardly away from the arrow, neither will brush against the attached feather. This will be understood by reference to the showing in Fig. 4.

the feather holding clamp members 22-23 can be established, thus to so apply the feathers to the arrow that it will be caused to axially spin in flight.

It is further to be explained that if the angle at which the feather is held by the clamp relative to the shaft 14 is not as desired, adjustment may be made by loosening the screws 28x and making an angular adjustment of parts 26a and 26b, and then again tightening the screws.

This device is simple in its construction, relatively inexpensive, easy to use and makes possible the satisfactory fietching of arrows by inexperienced'persons. The device can be made in various sizes, and of various materials without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An arrow fletcher comprising a base member, a pair of spaced supports mounted thereon, formed in their upper ends with aligned notches designed to seat an arrow therein for axial turning and a feather holding clamp supported on said base member for swinging in a fixed are from and toward the seated portion of an arrow for the positioning and attachment of a feather thereto; one of said spaced supports being adjustable on said base member in a direction transversely of the direction of the seated arrow, to change the angular relationship of the arrow to the position of the feather as held by the clamp.

2. An arrow fletcher comprisinga base block, a pair of spaced supports thereon for seating an arrow to hold it against movement, a second pair of aligned supports, laterally offset from the arrow supports, a feather holding clamp comprising a supporting shaft rotatably mounted at its ends in said second pair of aligned supports and held thereby substantially parallel with a seated arrow, a pair of arms extended from said shaft, clamp jaws supported by said arms at their outer ends and between which jaws the web portion of a feather can be held with its quill portion exposed for receiving glue, and for disposition by said clamp against the arrow for its gluing thereto; said second pair of aligned supports having notches in their upper end in which the opposite end portions of the supporting shaft of the feather clamp are rotatably seated and from which notches said shaft can be lifted free for removal of the clamp.

3. An arrow fletcher as in claim 2 wherein the said clamp jaws comprise flat plates, extended along the arrow, and wherein said pair of arms are jointed between their ends and the jointed parts are adjustable to provide for changing the angle of said jawplates relative to a longitudinal radial plane of the supported arrow.

4. An arrow fletcher comprising a horizontal base block, a pair of supports mounted on the block, in spaced relation at one edge thereof and formed with aligned V- shaped notches in their upper ends for seating an arrow therein, another pair of supports fixed to the block, at the opposite edge thereof and having notches in their upper ends, a feather holding clamp, comprising a mounting shaft with its opposite end portions rotatably seated in the notches of said other pair of supports and mounting said shaft parallel with the seated arrow, a' pair of arms extended from said shaft, a pair of jaws supported by said arms parallel with and adapted to be swung from and toward a seated arrow, and adapted to hold the web portion of a feather between them, with its quill exposed for gluing and for its disposition, while held between the jaws, against a seated arrow; at least one of the pair of supports first named being adjustably mounted on the base to provide for change in angular relationship of supported arrow and clamp, and said pair of arms being jointed between their ends and adjustable to change the angle of the clamp jaws relative to a longitudinal radial plane of a supported arrow.

5. In an arrow fletcher, a base member, a pair of arrow supports fixed in spaced relationship on said base, and a means for applying a feather to the arrow shaft when applied to said supports, each support having an upwardly opening V-shaped notch in its upper end in which the arrow shaft may be seated for the fietching operation, a cross-member fixed to one of said supports below the notch therein, and an indexing block of equilateral form with a central opening therethrough designed to contain the end portion of the arrow shaft therein with sufiicient tightness that they will maintain their relationship, and said arrow being adapted to be lifted and axially turned in said notches to successively engage the block edges with said cross bar to establish the positions of the arrow for the application of a feather thereto by the feather applying means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

